Though it seems like a contradiction, many Wiccans do not experience obvious supernatural activity. We worship the gods and we may even practice witchcraft, but the effects on our lives are subtle and often hard to recognize. Meanwhile, our envy may intensify as we encounter other Wiccans who seem to live with one foot in fairyland. Some claim to be spouses or lovers with their patron god. Others are under constant psychic siege from various entities. And many undergo extensive exploration of past lives, or have long meaningful conversations with spirit guides. Are these Wiccans faking it for competitive reasons? Are they completely deluded? Or is all this stuff really happening? After all, Wicca is built upon an acceptance of personal mysticism. So why isn’t it happening to the more mundane Wiccans such as you and me?

We may have never had a mystical experience. The gods may never have spoken to us – not even a few cryptic lines in a dream. We try divination and are successful only fifty percent of the time. We have never glimpsed an aura or a ghost. When we practice witchcraft, especially as beginners, our results may be so open to interpretation that we feel we are fooling ourselves. If we think of others who have enjoyed more dramatic experiences, we may feel the same way as most of the Carmelite nuns probably did, plodding along with their bookkeeping and chicken raising while living in the shadow of the great Spanish mystic Saint Teresa of Avila.

First, we must stop comparing ourselves to other Wiccans. Are they crazy or lying when they speak of God-spouses? Who cares? Their lives are their own and not our concern. You and I should each concentrate upon our own spiritual paths. Second, we cannot force the gradual process of opening up to the otherworldly realms. We should relax and let ourselves forget about it while concentrating on learning as much as we can about the Wiccan path. Meanwhile, our subconscious will be free to unleash its psychic aspect.

However, it is possible that the gods intend some Wiccans to walk the path without the benefit of close communication. Some Wiccans may spend years feeling alone amidst self-doubt. Some may never come face-to-face with the gods. And none of this is a punishment for being unworthy. The gods know that these Wiccans can develop the strongest and deepest faith of all to compensate for a distinct lack of feedback.

Not every Wiccan path can be, or should be, the magical mystery tour. If you have never had a mystical experience, it doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong. Do not make the assumption that you are not intuitive, psychic, or spiritual enough to be Wiccan. Your intuition guided you to Wicca for a reason. Practice your religion with an open heart and an inquiring mind to find out not what amazing marvels Wicca can show you, but how you can refine yourself through Wicca to help bring light to the world.

Buy True Balance: A Commonsense Guide for Renewing Your Spirit on Amazon.com. This terrific guide gives you fun, everyday ideas with which to open and strengthen all seven of your chakra energy-centers, including the third-eye chakra and crown chakra which help you to connect with psychic phenomena and the divine.

Buy Ordinary People As Monks & Mystics: Lifestyles for Spiritual Wholeness at Amazon.com. I love the emphasis on "ordinary people" who are not sequestered away from the world. Don't be scared by the word "monk." This book takes a general spiritual context rather than emphasizing a specific religion like Christianity or Buddhism. It's the only book I've read recently that examines the equally valid path of the non-mystical type (the monk) and the mystic.